Short-term and working memory

The place where thinking occurs

Our working memory is the part of our memory in which new information is stored until it has been processed based on pre-existing knowledge held in our long-term memory. This is also referred to as the “conscious” phase of the processing of information by the brain. We are only consciously aware of the information that is sent from either our sensory register or our long-term memory to our working memory. It is there that the process commonly referred to as “thinking” occurs. [2] 

The fact that you can read and understand this text here is also due to your working memory. Through your eyes, you perceive the letters on the screen (the light emitted by it). This information is cached in your sensory register. As you concentrate on this text, i.e. pay attention to it (cf. control processes), this information enters your working memory. In order to form meaningful units from the information, you must fall back on your already acquired knowledge. This is stored in your long-term memory..

“What did you want to say?” “I’ve forgotten.” – a short look at short-term memory

Our short-term memory forms part of our working memory. It is characterised by limitations in terms of the amount of information it can store and the period for which it can store it. Information that enters our short-term memory is only retained there for an average of 20-30 seconds. This is nevertheless sufficient for the performance of a range of tasks such as mental arithmetic.

Active revision supports the retention of information in our short-term memory for longer periods. If, however, your revision process is interrupted and your attention briefly drawn to another stimulus, it is highly likely that you will lose the information and have to start again.

Perhaps you have experienced this phenomenon in the following scenario: You look up a telephone number and go to the telephone. You keep repeating the number until you are ready to tap it in, but at the last second your flatmate interrupts you by asking you a question. As a result of this distraction the telephone number leaves your short-term memory and you have to look it up again.

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